Literary Devices

 

 

1.  Flashback:    A jump in time in a story.  In the middle of one scene, you are taken back to an earlier time. 

 

Why use flashback:  to give you background information.

 

Example:   “One afternoon, a year and a half

                before….”

 

 

2.  Foreshadowing:  A hint given to the reader about what is to come in the story; something in the story helps you guess that things are going to change. 

 

Example:  a moment in the story where you can imagine the background music would change to “da-da- da-dum” and the reader would get a feeling of suspense.

 

 

3.  Irony:  a contrast between what you think should happen and what actually happens; a twist in a story

 

Why use irony: to add surprise

                          to comment on human nature

 

 

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4.  Allusion:  A reference to something outside of the poem or story

•Referring to a person or event that may be familiar from another story or from history
•The purpose of allusion is to add more meaning or information.
•Example: 
•Writing about King Midas and his golden touch in another story .

 

5.  Tone:  The author's attitude or opinion towards the topic that comes through in the writing.